Chapter 2: Throne
Following a sensation that felt like falling through several layers of thick, viscous liquid, Vahn found himself deposited on the floor of a room filled with books, haphazardly scattered gizmos, and a chair that was formed from white stone with angular blue cushions, mysteriously floating a few centimeters above the ground in front of semi-circular desk comprised of the same material.
"It's a good thing my stomach is empty..." groaned Vahn, collapsing onto the surprisingly soft white stone floor with his arms and legs splayed. He noticed that the ceiling, walls, and virtually all other surfaces were made of the same material, but before he could ask Sis what it was, an entirely separate synthetic-sound voice asked, "And who might you be, child?" in the gentle yet soothing voice of a man.
Rising to a seated position, Vahn looked around for where the voice had originated, his gaze focusing on a series of light-formed displays that had appeared above the desk, each displaying a two-dimensional golden eye against a backdrop of pure yet unobtrusive white.
"I'm Vahn..." responded Vahn, swallowing nervously before asking, "Who are you?"
"An honest child..." remarked the voice, the eyes on the display narrowing, ostensibly in satisfaction as it revealed, "As for our identity, we are known as God's System. More specifically, we are the intelligence entrusted with the System's management by God, codenamed Throne."
"Oh...well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Throne..." muttered Vahn, feeling a little sheepish as he felt like he was trespassing someplace he shouldn't be.
"Be not afraid, Vahn. We could sense that you were not an enemy from the moment you appeared," reassured Throne. "Rather, we suspect we have been awaiting you for some time as the energy within you is similar to the Spark of the Creator. Tell us, from where do you come, and by what means did you arrive here?"
"I was sent here-" started Vahn, prompting Sis to exclaim (Wait, Vahn!) as the very air around him began to quake, the displays depicting the eyes of Throne fluctuating violently as she hastily explained (You can't reveal information about The Path, the Records, or where you came from to its natives. Doing so will cause you to be ejected from the Record and everyone who overheard it to be destroyed.)
"How very curious..." remarked Throne, its voice sounding almost excited and its many eyes scanning the area as it appended, "It would seem that the Laws that transcend Creation do not wish for your origin to be known. A comparable phenomenon occurred when my Creator endeavored to use his power to ascertain the nature of His existence."
"I'm sorry..." muttered Vahn, hanging his head apologetically. In response, the eyes on the displays shook as if an invisible person were shaking their head before it stated, "You need not apologize, Vahn, but your willingness to do so speaks volumes of your character. I also have at least some idea about the nature of your origin. Your given name is rooted in Divine Grace, and the surname Mason denotes you as one who creates from what came before. Our Creator prophesied that someone like you would appear here in His absence, so allow me to welcome you, Vahn Mason, to the Seventh Heaven..."
"Uh...thanks...?" responded Vahn, forcing a cramped, apologetic smile as he revealed, "But the reason I came here was because I wanted to attend High School. I'm really sorry, Mr. Throne, but I don't think I have anything to do with this place or your Creator..."